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Pulsed Laser Induced Decomposition of Energetic Polymers: Comparison of ultraviolet (355 nm) and infrared (9.3 μm) initiation
Author(s) -
Haas Yehuda,
BenEliahu Yeshayahu,
Welner Shmuel
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
propellants, explosives, pyrotechnics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.56
H-Index - 65
eISSN - 1521-4087
pISSN - 0721-3115
DOI - 10.1002/prep.19960210509
Subject(s) - polymer , irradiation , inert , inert gas , materials science , decomposition , shock wave , ultraviolet , laser , infrared , shock (circulatory) , photochemistry , analytical chemistry (journal) , chemistry , optics , optoelectronics , composite material , thermodynamics , organic chemistry , physics , nuclear physics , medicine
Irradiation of the energetic polymer GAP (glycidyl azido polymer) by a high power pulsed UV laser leads to its rapid decomposition. A large amount of solid and gaseous material is released, and in the presence of an inert gas, a shock wave develops. Comparison with an inert polymer indicates that the energy released by the exothermicity of the decomposition reaction contributes significantly to the shock formative energy. The energy released in the micro‐explosion can be estimated from the analysis of the shock front propagation velocity. It is found that irradiation of polymers in which GAP is diluted by an inert polymer, may lead to a higher shock intensity than irradiation of neat GAP. Possible causes for this apparent inconsistency (which is not observed upon initiation by a pulsed infrared laser) are discussed.